Jan 22 Forget robot Brexit

Robotics and artificial intelligence won’t even come close to filling labour shortages in a post-Brexit UK. That’s because many of the jobs that will be hit by shortages can’t easily be automated and sectors staffed by the highest numbers of foreign-born workers –such as cleaning, clothing manufacture, hospitality and healthcare – will be among those most affected.

“Even if availability and cost aren’t barriers, there isn’t yet a clear hunger to introduce automation across the UK, says Jamie Condliffe in the MIT Technology Review. “Indeed, the country is far from the leading edge of automation – the International Federation of Robotics says that the UK currently has the lowest robot density in the G10.”

“At a time of greater technological progress than humanity has ever witnessed, when I would want our entire government focus to be on leading the way in exploiting these emerging technologies, most of our ministers are preoccupied with disengaging from Europe,” said Richard Susskind, IT advisor to the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, at a House of Lords hearing on AI attended by MIT Technology Review. “It is the worst possible time to be considering a demerger.”